4

My mouth was full of rubble when I finally managed to haul myself out of the Max-sized crater that I had formed. I felt like...

Shiitake mushrooms.

"Oh, my God, I see her!" I heard a girl scream, but it sounded as though it was from a distance.

Her? Who's her? I groggily thought.

A dark blur seemed to be getting closer and closer. Wait. Two dark blobs. My vision was playing tricks on me.

"Max? Are you okay?" Fang was shaking me, but everything seemed blurry and hazy, and my hearing seemed to be shot as well; Fang sounded like he was underwater.

"Max!" The rest of the Flock was gathering around me. Fang's jaw seemed to be clenched. He must be worried.

"Of course he is. We all are. Max, you could've been blown apart!" Angel exclaimed, sounding like she was on the verge of tears.

"I think...I'm...tougher...than...that," I managed, but my tongue felt thick as molasses. God, this is so embarrassing.

"She's in shock," Fang crisply said. "Better get her back."

"What about our stuff?" I heard someone-Nudge or Gazzy-say.

"Go grab whatever you were going to get," Fang instructed. "Iggy, watch over them. Grab some food. Evade the police. I'm leaving." With that, he swiftly picked me up, bridal style, and carried me out of the store.

I was too shaken to complain about this blatantly sexist action. I managed to woozily wrap my arms around his neck as he slipped out of the store and looked for a secluded place from where he could take off. I did notice the sirens in the distance and the crowds of freaked-out shoppers, however, as well as Fang's very defined muscles...gah! Stop it, brain!

"Was it our fault?" I dizzily asked as Fang ran towards a clump of trees.

"Don't talk," Fang briefly said before snapping out his wings and taking off.

"Wait...envelope..." I remembered. A sense of urgency filled me. "Envelope?" I had to raise my voice in order to be heard over the rushing wind.

"What?" Fang glanced down. He frowned. "Where'd you get that envelope?"

It was still in my hand, my fingers digging into it. "With...bombs..." I tiredly said. "School."

For a moment Fang froze up and we dropped a foot or two before he remembered to flap. "The School?" he asked, his voice flat.

"Yep."

For a long moment he didn't speak. "Talk about it later," he finally said, and I wondered if he, like I, was thinking about his dream. I nodded in agreement and put my head against his chest. His arms automatically tightened around me and he rested his chin on my head. "You okay?" His voice was almost inaudible due to the wind and my temporary deafness.

I nodded, suddenly sleepy. I closed my eyes and went out like a light.

A/N: Sorry for the exceptionally short chapter, but I couldn't really think of anything else to add (and I like to end my chapters naturally). Since I'm not an expert on explosions, I'm assuming that since Max is super-strong, she wouldn't be fatally affected by the bomb, but who knows =.= You know the drill...read and review for more of Fang's hotness! :) Also: mrlover you should totally come off anon because you are VERY astute... o_o